Hiking Adventures: Morrell Sanctuary

One of my favourite hiking spots on Vancouver Island is a place called Morrell Sanctuary.  Each trail is different – you can take a short stroll through the forest, walk around the lake, or hike up the Maple Trail to the Moonrock Bluff lookout.  A map at the beginning of the trail shows all the different paths you can take and how long they are.  There are signs throughout the sanctuary that talk about the different types of animals and plant life you can look out for during your hike.  These pictures were taken a couple of weeks ago.  I highly recommend walking through the sanctuary in the fall once the leaves begin to change colour.

This particular morning, we hiked around the lake and then went up Maple Trail to connect to Moonrock Bluff.  At the top, there is a beautiful view of the forest (as seen in the thumbnail).  The hike up is not super strenuous, but the leaves and rocks on the dry ground made it slippery on the way down.  I slipped a couple of times, so be careful.

In the spring and summer months, you can see tadpoles living in the lake.  Just make sure you stay out of the water so you don’t disturb them.

Morrell Sanctuary is run by volunteers who keep the trails clean and protect the wildlife.  If you ever go there, consider donating to the sanctuary.  There is more information on their website:  https://www.morrellnaturesanctuary.ca/

Thanks for reading!  What is your favourite hiking spot?